kpsfo

I need help. I've had coolant issues since day one of taking ownership of my '87 turbo - usually leaks from cracked hoses - but recently things took a big turn for the worse. Engine temp redlining and white smoke curling out the sides of the hood and from underneath the car. When I got some coming from the exhaust a few weeks ago I put some additive into the coolant system on the chance that it was a cracked head gasket (a friend recommended trying this) and things were fine for a while. Now I am avoiding driving the car entirely and need some - any - advice on some things:

(1) is a cracked head gasket the only explanation, and what is that likely to run me?

(2) I've run the engine in the red several times - usually on the way home from work late at night. Have I done damage to the engine by doing this? It seems to be running okay except for the smoke, which comes and goes.

(3) I need to know if there is anyone who specializes in older Porsches here in San Francisco who is reliable and trustworthy. I know one guy - he's a little flaky, but honest (Aldo's Performance) - but he's backed up for at least a week.

Thanks for any and all advice,

KP

Will Feather

If smoke/steam is coming from under the hood I would continue to look for leaks. If the temp is maxed out hot then you have more serious issues. Minor could be thermostat, major could be water pump.

1- Head gasket will be a fair amount of work and money. Gonna need a gasket kit and there will be a plethora of "while you are in there" items. Depending if you do the work yourself or not this will vary.

2 - Running the engine in the red could have caused the head to warp, meaning you would need to find a new head. Thus making #1 a much more exspensive process.

3 - Somone from the are would have to chime in.

kpsfo

Thanks Addict, that's somewhat reassuring . . . the car is due for belts/ water pump anyway, so the possibility that it's not the head gasket is at least some consolation.

Will Feather

Well check your oil, does it appear to look like milkshake color? That will tell you if its mixing coolant and oil. You could also do a compression test.

racerxrick

your gonna warp something if you haven't already. Continuing to redline the temp will do plenty of harm.

Check the oil as suggested. Was the radiator dry after the latest incident? Was it wet under the hood (spewing water)?

Your 951 sounds like it needs quite a bit of maintenance before you can drive it on a regaular basis. I say this because of your comment on leaks from cracked hoses. You really need to get ahead of those things or Lart will be buying your car...soon.

Is this your daily driver?

kpsfo

Thanks all for suggestions - oil has been in the normal range of color. Leaks have been addressed on an as-needed basis, but the last time I went in, the mechanic suggested there was air in the coolant, which he attributed to a worn seal on the water pump impeller. Car was due for belt/pump replacement anyway and I put it off until after vacation (which did NOT involve using this car).

I will be taking it by my regular mechanic in Oakland (A. Bauer) if no options are listed here in SF or the northern part of the Peninsula.

ehall

CHECK the heater valve! It's directly behind the head and crammed down between the firewall and the back of the head. It's cheap and it has burst! Start there. That's your problem. I got a buck fitty says so.
It's made of plastic. When you get leaks in your coolant system, air gets in. When that happens, the temp shoots through the roof, as does the pressure from the heat. The first thing that pops after that is the heater valve. If you are able to keep pouring water in and driving it, that means it's cracked rather than blown. No matter what, you have a coolant leak and you WILL warp the head if you keep driving it.
The good thing is that they are cheap.

Here's a tip, in an emergency, keep the revs around 2500 rpm, when stopped. It keeps the coolant flowing rather than stagnant and keeps everything cooler.
If you can't or don't know how to do your own work, take it to a Porsche shop, but stop driving it until it's fixed. Water leaks are usually pretty easy to find.

Good luck.

ehall

If he knew there was air in the coolant, he should have bled the system until it was A. Out of the system, or B. He found the leak, and THEN bled the air out of the system. Don't take it back to that guy.

racerxrick

yeah...I replaced my heater valve...just because!

kpsfo

He did replace the valve, but two things came out of that - it became clear that the heater wasn't working (he recommended replacing the environmental control unit (picked one up used good condition cheap on ebay), and the head gasket crack repair fluid. Also suggested doing a core flush.

Anyhow, I'm taking it back to Bauer to see what they can do. Any recommendations n good places this side of the Bay that work on older Porsches much appreciated.

Thank you all for the troubleshooting and recommendations . . .